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Alex Housen
“Were they taught or did they learn?” A
framework for investigating the role and effects of instruction in
second language learning
L’instruction a toujours été une composante clé de la plupart des
contextes d’apprentissage d’une langue seconde (L2). Cependant, son
rôle ainsi que ses effets sur l’acquisition d’une L2 ont toujours
été controversés depuis l’Antiquité. L’objectif de cette
contribution est de proposer un cadre de référence descriptif
général pour examiner de manière systématique le rôle et les effets
de l’instruction en apprentissage L2 et de synthétiser les résultats
généraux des recherches par rapport à ce cadre. La contribution
commence par la définition de notions centrales, telles
l’instruction et l’apprentissage. Je commenterai ensuite différents
types d’effets que l’instruction peut avoir sur le processus
d’apprentissage d’une L2, pour considérer enfin des facteurs clés
qui peuvent conforter les effets et l’efficacité de l’instruction.
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Alessandro Benati
Grammar Instruction and
Processing Instruction in second language acquisition
A review of the literature on the effects of instruction in second
language acquisition would lead the reader to conclude that
“learners bring to the task of acquisition a variety of internal
mechanisms and traits which effectively override most instructional
efforts” (Van Patten and Benati 2010: 51). Despite the fact that
instruction is constrained by many factors (e.g., acquisition orders
and developmental sequences), it might be beneficial in speeding up
the rate of acquisition. The question is: what type of instruction
is beneficial? In the last twenty years researches have been
investigating the role and effects of different types of
instructional interventions. This paper will examine the role of one
of those instructional interventions called processing instruction
by looking at the theoretical and pedagogical impact processing
instruction has made since its conception (Lee and Benati 2009).
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James Milton
The role of classroom and informal vocabulary
input in growing a foreign language lexicon
There is a school of thought, particularly in vocabulary learning,
that directed instruction really is not very important. For example,
Snow suggests that time spent in vocabulary learning and teaching is
“time … wasted” (Harris and Snow 2004: 58) since “few words are
retained from those which are ‘learned’ or ‘taught’ by direct
instruction” (Harris and Snow 2004: 55), and “most L2 vocabulary is
learned incidentally, much of it from oral input” (Ellis 1994: 24).
These ideas are very misleading and this can be illustrated by
studies of course book material. These studies suggest that quality
materials using a wide variety of thematic material and exemplifying
a range of both frequent and infrequent vocabulary, can lead
directly to the acquisition of foreign language lexicons which are
capable of giving good communicative skills. This form of input is
particularly important in establishing good knowledge and use of the
most frequent words in a language. But it is not clear that this
form of input alone can explain how the most able of learners
acquire the very large lexicons that enable them to be so good. Case
studies of learners engaged in informal vocabulary learning
activities (reading comic books, listening to songs and watching
DVDs with sub-titles in a foreign language) appear to show that
learners can and do acquire surprisingly large volumes of the,
particularly infrequent, vocabulary they need to achieve fluency
from informal language learning activities, albeit with a clear
learning focus.
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Katerina Nicolaidis
Why is pronunciation so
challenging to acquire and teach?
Pronunciation is singled out among other language components, e.g.,
grammar, vocabulary, in that nativelike proficiency is an extremely
far-reaching goal, which for most L2 learners is apparently
impossible to attain. This exceptional status of pronunciation has
led to its frequent marginalisation in the classroom. This paper
draws from research on L1 and L2 phonological acquisition as well as
empirical studies on pronunciation teaching in an attempt to provide
a synthesis of those features that make pronunciation acquisition
and teaching so challenging. It discusses issues relating to
perception and production in L1 and L2, foreign accent, and the
focus and effectiveness of pronunciation teaching. It also argues
for the integration of pronunciation instruction with the teaching
of other language components and briefly presents a new method for
the combined teaching of pronunciation and vocabulary. Finally, it
discusses the benefits computer-based technology can offer to
pronunciation teaching and learning through the provision of
auditory and visual feedback. On the basis of theory and empirical
findings, it argues for the significance of extensive input and
production for successful language learning.
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Soula
Mitakidou
Using literature to enhance learning in the
second or foreign language classroom
Teaching an additional (second or foreign) language has always been
associated with the question of what constitutes effective
instruction for the acquisition of that language in a classroom
context. Research studies and theoretical perspectives have
generally been inconclusive, even competing, in answering the
question of how instruction can promote language learning.
In an effort to contribute to the discussion of effective second or
foreign language instruction, this paper aims at offering a stimulus
for dialogue and reflection on the role of literature in the second
or foreign language classroom. The potential of adding literature to
language instruction is discussed on the basis of both theoretical
and empirical rationale. The use of literature for literacy
development has been supported by a host of educators and
researchers and literature-based language learning programs have
gained momentum in diverse classroom settings. The familiar contexts
created by literary texts can also be used to enhance learning in
the second/foreign language classroom. However, for students to
profit from the use of literature, their personal response to text
should be stimulated and their own linguistic, cognitive and
cultural capital should be used as a catalyst for further learning.
Therefore, the issue of how to involve learners with literature in
the language learning classroom is duly addressed in this paper, in
an effort to create a tentative, reference framework of guidelines
for teachers to adapt and try out in their own teaching contexts. |
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